Yonezawa, Yamagata

Yonezawa (米沢市, Yonezawa-shi) is a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 February 2020, the city had an estimated population of 81,707 in 33278 households,[1] and a population density of 150 persons per km². The total area of the city is 548.51 square kilometres (212 sq mi). Yonezawa is most famous for its local delicacies (apples, Yonezawa beef, and carp) and for being a castle town that was once home to the Uesugi clan, including the daimyō Uesugi Yozan.

"Yonezawa" redirects here. For other uses, see Yonezawa (disambiguation).
Yonezawa

米沢市
City
Overview of downtown Yonezawa
Flag
Seal
Location of Yonezawa in Yamagata Prefecture
Yonezawa
 
Coordinates: 37°55′20.1″N 140°07′0.4″E
CountryJapan
RegionTōhoku
PrefectureYamagata
Government
 • MayorMasaru Nakagawa (since December 2015)
Area
 • Total548.51 km2 (211.78 sq mi)
Population
 (February 2020)
 • Total81,707
 • Density150/km2 (390/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- TreeKometsuga (Tsuga diversifolia)
- FlowerAzumashakunage (Rhododendron metternichii Sieb. et Zucc. var. pentamerum Maxim)
Phone number0238-22-5111
Address5-2-25 Kanaike, Yonezawa-shi, Yamagata-ken 992-8501
WebsiteOfficial website
Yonezawa City Hall

Geography

Yonezawa is located in the southeast corner of Yamagata Prefecture. The southern and eastern portions of the city are river basins surrounded by large mountains, forming the Yonezawa Basin. The southern portion of the city has a complex terrain with several rivers and alternating ridges and valleys orientated east to west. The Mogami River flows through the city. Part of the city is within the borders of the Bandai-Asahi National Park.

Neighboring municipalities

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[2] the population of Yonezawa has remained relatively steady for the past 70 years .

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 75,039—    
1930 77,716+3.6%
1940 82,770+6.5%
1950 94,649+14.4%
1960 96,991+2.5%
1970 92,764−4.4%
1980 92,823+0.1%
1990 94,760+2.1%
2000 95,396+0.7%
2010 89,392−6.3%

Climate

Yonezawa has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October. The average annual temperature in Yonezawa is 11.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1438 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around -1.3 °C.[3]

History

The area of present-day Yonezawa was part of ancient Dewa Province and was controlled in the Sengoku period by the Date clan. The famed warlord Date Masamune was born in Yonezawa. During the Edo period, the area became Yonezawa Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate, ruled by the Uesugi clan. After the start of the Meiji period, the area was organized into Minamiokitama District, Yamagata Prefecture.

The city of Yamagata was established on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system

Government

Yonezawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 24 members. The city contributes three members to the Yamagata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Yamagata District 3 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

List of mayor of Yonezawa

Economy

The economy of Yamagata is based on agriculture, horticulture, light manufacturing and tourism.

Education

Colleges and universities

Primary and secondary education

Yonezawa has 18 public elementary schools and eight public middle schools operated by the city government and four public high schools operated by the Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education. There are also two private high schools.

Transportation

Railway

East Japan Railway Company - Yamagata Shinkansen

East Japan Railway Company - Ōu Main Line

East Japan Railway Company - Yonesaka Line

Highways

Local attractions

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan

Twin towns — Sister cities

Moses Lake, WA

Japan

Worldwide

Notable people from Yonezawa

References
  1. Yonezawa City official statistics (in Japanese)
  2. Yonezawa population statistics
  3. Yonezawa climate data
  4. "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Retrieved 21 November 2015.
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